


Grey Mornings

by nekkuu



Category: The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel - Michael Scott
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blood and Violence, Bloody Kisses, Established Relationship, F/M, Tea, after shower thoughts, interesting eating habits
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-14 12:35:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29295993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nekkuu/pseuds/nekkuu
Summary: “Tea?”“Earl Grey”, he responded.“You could at least offer me some”
Relationships: Dr. John Dee/The Morrigan
Comments: 11
Kudos: 11





	Grey Mornings

**Author's Note:**

> Still trying to capture the bitter-sweet, utterly messed up, yet somehow very appealing dynamic that these two seem to have.

The scalding hot liquid tasted bitter on his tongue. He’d left the tea to brew for too long. Honey would soften the taste. He was almost certain he had some in the drawer but couldn’t be bothered to reach for it. Instead, he fixed the position of his white bathrobe, leant back on the edge of the desk and absentmindedly gazed outside. It was a grey morning, with rain pouring down from the sky. Streaks of water ran across the large window. The lights reflected on the tiny droplets all over the glass. The city of San Francisco looked almost magical in the rain.

What a perfect time to stay inside and enjoy a cup of tea.

Dr John Dee had grown rather fond of the city. Even so, he knew he would be lying if he said that he felt at home. The city in front of him didn’t come close to London. No, he hadn’t been home in a very long time.

The doctor told himself that perhaps it was for the best. The capital of England stirred many memories, most of them bad. Dee scowled. Homesickness was for children. And yet he had to admit that he did miss England, despite everything. Perhaps it was the undeniable Englishness of the combination of tea and rain which had brought London to mind.

The small man ran a hand through his grey hair. He was fresh out of shower and his hair was still damp. It clung to the back of his neck and dripped water on his back. The room felt a lot colder than it had been before the shower. The wooden floor felt especially icy under his bare feet. At least the teacup was warm and comforting.

Dee brought the cup to his lips and was about to take another sip when he saw steam swirling up from the tea. The liquid radiated heat and brought warmth to his face. He stopped slowly as it dawned on him that while the idea of hot tea was indeed very tempting, it might still be better not to burn one’s throat on purpose. He lowered the cup and closed his eyes.

The beat of the drumming rain got mixed with the sound of the shower, which was still on. There was something else too, snippets of a song reached his ears. He focused on his hearing, held his breath, and let go of his other senses. Words sang softly in a language he couldn’t quite recognise. The sound was macabre, something long forgotten yet unmistakably familiar. He’d never heard anything quite as beautiful.

Dee smirked a little. He knew the Morrigan only sang in the shower when she was in a particularly good mood. 

He kept his eyes closed until she finished singing. Soon the shower was turned off and the bathroom door opened.

The white bathrobe contrasted strongly with her raven black hair. Her damp curls clung on to her shoulders and her black lips curled into a smile. 

“Tea?”

“Earl Grey”, he responded. 

“You could at least offer me some”, she said and walked up to him. She leant over him and twirled the end of his goatee between her fingers for a second before sitting on the edge of the desk. Her pale feet dangled in the air. 

“I’m terribly sorry. Would you like some tea, my lady?” he bowed his head slightly towards her with a smile. 

“No, thank you. I don’t like the taste. Too bland”, she said. 

Dee rolled his eyes and sipped on his tea. It was just the right temperature now. Warm and pleasant, but not hot enough to melt his insides.

“Looks like I won’t be flying home yet”, the Morrigan said, her gaze fixed on the rain that still drummed against the window.

“A little rain has never bothered you before.”

He’d barely finished his sentence when the lightning struck somewhere close with an ear-splitting crack. The flash of bright light sent spots dancing in his eyes as he turned towards the Crow Goddess. 

She merely arched an eyebrow at him. He turned his attention back to the window. Not the best weather for flying, he had to admit that much.

And yet, Dee knew the goddess was skilled in air magic. Stopping the storm wasn’t beyond her talents. Staying was an intentional choice. In fact, thunderstorms were truly quite uncommon in San Francisco. _How peculiar._ Dee smirked a little, lost in his own thoughts.

That’s when he heard the refrigerator door open at the other side of the room.

“What are you doing?”

The Morrigan paid no mind to his words. She had a carton of eggs in her left hand and she carefully examined them with her right. Satisfied, she picked an egg and broke its white shell with her long sharp thumbnail. She then proceeded to pour the insides of the egg down her throat. Raw.

Dee shuddered. _Disgusting._ He wondered if this counted as cannibalism. He’d never seen her eat humani food before. 

“You do realise we could order food if you’re _that_ hungry?”

“I don’t eat your food, Doctor. You know this”, she said and licked the remaining egg white from her lips.

Dee quietly stared at the now empty eggshell she was still clutching in her right hand.

“An exception. They’re nutritious”, she huffed with an annoyed tone, before turning her back to him and placing the carton back into the fridge.

“Are you hungry?” he asked, unsure if he really wanted to hear the answer.

She turned her head towards him. If pouring a raw egg down one’s throat was disgusting, this should have been downright terrifying. Her head had turned almost 180 degrees. An impossible feat for any humani. But she was so much more than that.

There had been a time when this would’ve made him feel very _uncomfortable_ , but he’d seen her little party trick before. Disappointed for the lack of a proper reaction, she turned her head back to a more comfortable position.

“ _Yes._ ”

Dee let out a shaky breath. His hands trembled slightly as he set down the teacup. The cup clinked against the saucer beneath it.

“Will you be careful this time?”

“I can try, if you insist” 

\---

Red droplets glistened in the dim light. Her hand spread them further on the black leather couch. Warm and slick. She had to admire the doctor’s taste in furniture. True, the couch was simple, perhaps even unsophisticated, but the material was _exquisite._

And as she sank her teeth further into his neck, there were even more droplets. _Beautiful_.

Dee winced. The Crow Goddess was on top of him, straddling him with her legs. The leather creaked beneath her bare knees. She didn’t usually bother getting this close to her victims. Most humani were filthy. Biting was messy and unnecessary, but his blood felt warm, and it had a nice bitter touch. She found it almost intoxicating.

Last time she’d fed on him had been unfortunate. She’d gone too far, she knew that now. He’d been furious, afraid. _Weak._ He’d even resorted to threatening her with his masters’ wrath. 

Worst of all, the doctor had grown distant from her.

This time she made sure to be careful. Savouring each succulent emotion like fine wine. His white bathrobe was soon stained with red. She knew it would never come off. It didn’t matter, he’d buy new ones.

Dee had closed his eyes and was breathing heavily. He never complained, not once, but his furrowed brows and pained expression made her stop. A little pain was good – too much, and she would lose him again.

She let go of his neck and stroked his cheek gently. Grey eyes fluttered open.

She pressed her hand against the wound and blood gushed between her fingers, painting her white skin red. His body shuddered as the Crow Goddess leant in closer to him. Her soft damp hair tickled his cheek.

“Think you’ll survive, doctor?”, she whispered into his ear with a bloody smile.

“I’m fine”, he snarled back. 

They sat in silence for a while, listening to the low rumble of the thunder. The scent of a fouled nest filled the air in between them. Her bathrobe had come undone, but she knew he wouldn’t be able to enjoy the view unless his wound got better. 

So, she focused on healing him. His taste lingered on her tongue. The emotions were sweeter than she’d expected. They were more recent, more vivid than what she had devoured before. An unusual flavour to get out of him. She found it _curious_.

“You courted her for quite a while. What happened?”

“I don’t see how that’s any of your business, Morrigan.”

“Did she hurt you?” her smile was cruel.

Dee got up, pushing her further away from him as he did so. Her cold hand was still cradling his neck, her aura slowly seeping into his skin and healing the wound she’d left.

An uncomfortable silence fell between them. She continued to stare at him, her black gaze unrelenting. 

“Why do you want to know?” Dee finally snapped.

She began to pull her hand away from his neck, but he grasped it in his own and pressed it tighter against the wound. 

The Morrigan’s frown exposed her blood-stained incisors.

“You _miss_ her.”

“It doesn’t matter!”

His grip on her hand was almost painful now, so she dug her nails into his neck. 

“Life’s not a love song. One would think you’d have learned that by now”, he said.

“And here I thought you weren’t as dull and senseless as every other humani”, she muttered.

“Enough. What’s this all about?”

The Crow Goddess turned her gaze away from him, leaving his question unanswered. Her incisors pressed against her lip almost painfully now. She ripped her hand from his grasp, leaving new red scratches on his neck. The bitemark was still visible, not entirely healed, but his own aura could take care of the rest.

He flinched, but said nothing, and she prayed that he would remain silent. The unexplainable urge to rip him to shreds was slowly taking over. It would be best not to, for she would surely miss this insufferable small Englishman if she did.

 _Pathetic_.

She shivered in the damp bathrobe. He pretended not to notice. 

\---

“Well, isn’t this just absolutely wonderful.”

Dee stood in front of a mirror, examining the damage she’d done. His grey hair was clotted with blood. The wound on his neck was still red and it throbbed in the rhythm of his heartbeat. It would sting painfully for a day or two. He wondered if he had plasters big enough for a wound of this size. Most likely not.

The small grey man let out a frustrated sigh. Taking a shower had been pointless. His bathrobe was ruined. He knew he’d never get the blood stains out of it. He’d also have to wash his hair again, and the shampoo would probably hurt like hell. 

The wooden floor under his feet didn’t feel any warmer than it had before. Probably due to the blood loss. Dee knew just what he needed… _tea_.

“I’m making myself more tea. Do you want anything?”

“No.”

The Morrigan stood by the window, black eyes quietly staring at the pouring rain. She was wrapping the white bathrobe tighter around her body. Tailored to his size; it was a tad short on her. It didn’t quite hug her figure in the same way as her usual black leather outfits did.

_And yet…_

He smiled almost involuntarily. Something about her wearing his clothes was irresistible. 

“Are you sure?”

“A kiss.”

Dee wanted to be angry. He wanted to punish her for pushing her pretty nose into his personal matters. And for not healing his wound properly. Instead, he went to her and grabbed her waist. He had to stand up on his toes to reach her lips, even as she graciously leant toward him.

Their lips collided, and the tip of his tongue met hers. A hint of the metallic taste of his own blood tainted the kiss, but he held her close regardless.

She let out a gentle moan and a shiver ran down his spine. Heart racing, he deepened the kiss. Pressing her back against the cold window and lifting one of her thighs higher. The sound of raindrops pattering against the glass intensified.

That’s when the thought struck him.

“I want to go back to London. Will you come with me?” he said. “When I- _we_ succeed in handing over the Codex?”

He wasn’t certain why he’d asked. He just knew he had to go back home. He had to see London one more time, before it would be torn down completely.

Seemingly unsatisfied, she grabbed his shoulders and spun him around. Pressing him against her bosom. Her pale fingers closed around his throat and around her own bite mark. This earned a painful wince from him. 

“Don’t get ahead of yourself, doctor. You’ve still got work to do”, she whispered with a hoarse voice, sharp teeth gracing his ear. He could hear the smile in her voice.

She let go of him and gave him a slight push forward. With a few calculated steps she was an arm’s reach away from him. He watched intently as she dropped the bathrobe onto the floor. The Crow Goddess turned her back to him with a delighted cackle and headed towards the bedroom.

“Come along now, pet.”

\---

Grey skies greeted the small grey man as he begrudgingly opened his eyes. The wound on his neck still stung a little, but at least it no longer throbbed. The coolness of the room made him shiver. His mouth was dry, and his eyelids unreasonably heavy. Wounded and weary. _Just another day at the office then_. 

At least the rain had finally stopped. The Morrigan had insisted that the curtains be kept open, so that she could see the sky. He supposed he could understand why she’d enjoy the view; the swirling clouds did have a calming effect.

That is, unless you woke up to someone coughing violently next to you.

Dee turned to face the Morrigan. Surprised to find that her expression was that of absolute misery.

“Good morning, pet”, she rasped quietly.

“Are you quite alright?” he asked.

“Well do I seem _alright_ to you?” the Crow Goddess snapped.

She had wrapped the blanket around herself, stealing most of it, which explained why he felt so cold. Her black curls were tousled around her head and her eyes were fixed on him. He simply stared back at her, wondering how such a terrifying creature could look so vulnerable. 

And then she sneezed.

That’s when he could no longer keep himself in check. He let out a low chuckle and couldn’t suppress his smile, even as she frowned at him, revealing her sharp incisors.

“This is _your_ fault. If you had the place properly heated, I- “

“Don’t blame me for your _bird flu_ ”, he interrupted, now grinning widely. 

“John, I will kill you if you keep laughing”, she sniffed.

“I better get away from you. Could be contagious.”

She swinged her hand at him with force, but her sharp black nails only reached the white sheet he had been laying on. Dee was already up on his feet, with a smug grin on his face.

Oh, how he enjoyed this. The thought of the Crow Goddess catching a flu had never even occurred to him. He had assumed that the Elders didn’t get sick, but then again, she _was_ of the Second Generation.

“You should take it easy, dear. Best not to strain yourself”, he said.

The Morrigan groaned in response but snuggled deeper into the blanket anyway. Dee sat back down next to her, and the mattress bended slightly under him. Grey eyes locked on black ones.

“Can I get anything for you?” he asked.

“Tea.”

“I thought you didn’t like the taste – something about it being ‘ _too bland_ ’?”

“I don’t.”

“Hmm.”

Dee carefully reached at her with his hand, hoping that she wouldn’t try and bite off his fingers. She didn’t. Instead, she squeezed her eyes shut and leant into the touch. A small smile played on his lips. Her hair was silky smooth, even in the morning. Black lips parted slightly; she breathed heavily. Her head felt unusually hot against his palm.

“I’ll be right back”, he said, pressing a chaste kiss on her forehead before getting up.

He made a mental note to add honey to her tea. Hoping that he truly had some left in the tea-drawer.

Black eyes followed his steps as he left the room.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! ♥


End file.
